Adjustable window-shade fixture.



H. E. GIFFORD.

ADJUSTABLE WINDOW SHADE FIXTURE.

APPLICATION men Die. 6, 1911. RENEWED NOV- 11.1914.

1,144,1 19. Patented June 22,1915.

WITNESSES:

LAh /2 2/ INVENTOR.

H E EIFFDHD '3\ ATTY'S- THEWORRIS PE'I'ERSYBHPROTOLITHQ, WASHINGTON, D, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY E. GIFFORD, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHAMPION METAL WEATHER STRIP AND PARTING BEAD COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

ADJUSTABLE WINDOW-SHADE FIXTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Application filed December 6, 1911, Serial No. 664,262. Renewed November 17, 1914. Serial No. 872.651.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I. HARRY E. Girronn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Mattapan, Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Window Shade Fixtures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fixtures for supporting Window shades so that the upper portion can be adjusted away from the upper end of the window casing in order to facilitate ventilation.

Window shades ordinarily are hung upon fixtures that are permanently secured to the window frame, the result being that when the shade is lowered to shut out sunlight or to obstruct view from the outside, circulation of air through the window for ventilating purposes is practically shut off when the draft is outward and materially interfered with when the draft is inward, this being due to the fact that the shade itself hangs close to the window frame or sash.

By the term window shade is usually meant the kind of hanging which comprises suitable material mounted upon a spring roller. While I employ the term shade herein, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to any specific kind of window hanging.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved shade fixture which will support the shade and enable it to be manipulated in such manner that the upper part of the shade can be carried away from the window in a manner that may be compared with the opening of a transom in order to permit the free passage of air for ventilating purposes, the arrangement being such that the shade material will still obstruct light and vision from the outside.

My invent-ion is embodied in an improved construction which includes few and simple parts that may be easily applied and operated.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings, in which only one fixture of a pair is illustrated, Figure 1 is a front elevation showing also portions of the shade roller and the guide rod, and an edge portion of the shade apron. Fig. 2 is an elevation from the left of Fig. 1, the said shade roller supporting arm being shown by full lines as swung away from the window casing, a portion of which is shown in section, the upright position of said arm being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 2, but illustrating a modification hereinafter described.

Similar reference characters indicate the same or similar parts in all of the views.

The supporting arm 1 is pivotally con nected to a suitable bracket 2 by hinge connection 3, said bracket 2 having means whereby it may be secured to the window casing 15. The upper end of the arm 1 is formed or provided with an ear 4 adapted to support the trunnion of a shade roller 5, the fabric or apron 6 of which leads from said roller downwardly behind a guide rod 7 carried by cars 8, projecting outwardly and downwardly from the arm 1 near the pivotal point thereof.

The arm 1 is provided with a vertically elongated aperture 9 through which a screw eye 10 passes into the window casing to guide the arm 1 in its path inwardly or outwardly so as to aid the hinge in preventing such lateral movement of the arm as might permit the shade roller to drop out of the ear 4, whether the fixture is used at the right or left side of a window. The head or eye 11 of the screw 10 serves as a stop to limit outward movement of the arm 1, and by varying the depth of insertion of the screw in the woodwork, the distance to which the arm 1 may swing outward may be adjust-- ably determined.

A cord 12 is fastened to the upper end of the arm 1 as by being passed through a hole 13 in said arm, and knotted or otherwise secured. Said cord passes through a guide 11 which may be a screw eye attached to the window casing 15, such cord leading to any convenient point for manipulation. Another cord 16 is secured to the arm 1 as by being passed through a hole in the arm and knotted or otherwise secured, said cord 16 passing through the eye 11.

The two cords 12 and 16 may be in a single piece or they may be entirely separate. By pulling upon cord 12, the arm 1 may be swung upwardly to the dotted line position of Fig. 2. To prevent the arm from marring the wood work, a suitable stop may be provided, such as the head of a screw 18. By pulling upon the other cord 16, the arm 1 may be swung outwardly to the limit indicated by full lines in Fig. 2. Of course by suitably securing the cord 12, the arm may be held in any intermediate position so that the shade roller will be at a greater or less distance from the window casing.

The guide rod 7 extends across in front of the shade 6, so that the portion of said shade below the rod will hang in the usual position quite close to the window easing or sash. But since said guide rod is carried by the ears 8 which in turn are carried by the arm 1 of the bar pivoted at 3, the said guide rod 7 will be swung outwardly when the pair of arms 1 shift toward the window casing, this being due to the fact also that the guide rod 7 is below the pivoted point 3. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the end of the guide rod is flattened and passes through an elongated aperture in the ear 8. By springing the ear laterally, the guide rod can be easily fitted to position or removed if it should be desired to have the shade 6 hang directly down from the roller.

By the term cord I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to a connection made of fibrous material since any flexible connection may be employed that is capable of being used as an actuating cord.

The structure of the arm 1 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is a flat plate having a flat metal ear 1 at its upper end. In Fig. 3 an equivalent arm 21 is shown, said arm having its upper end rolled or bent to form an eye 22 to receive the trunnion of the shade roller.

In practice there will of course be two of the devices employed, one at each side of the window casing, and of course there will preferably be two cords 12 and two cords 16, such cords of course being readily connected to facilitate manipulation of the fixtures at both sides of the window in unison.

The eyes 11 of the screws 10 form guides for the cords 16 which latter are utilized to swing the arms outwardly. The structure provides for the location of the cord guiding eye at such a distance outwardly from the window casing as to enable the arms to be pulled outwardly easily and without a jerk, the operator simply pulling downwardly upon said arms. Since the eye 11 also acts as a stop and is carried by a screw 10, the said stop can be adjusted as to its position so as to vary the limit to which the shade roller can be outwardly moved.

lVhen the fixture is raised or swung inwardly, the rod 7 of course moves outwardly somewhat, it passing to such a position that the shade or apron 6 may be raised and lowered without rubbing against said rod. When the fixture is lowered or swung outwardly, it results in providing for increased ventilation (when the upper portion of the window also is open) in a manner similar to the opening of a door transom, air passmg through the open portion of the window and over and around the upper portion of the shade, but the main portion of the shade 6 remaining in position to exclude light and vision from the outside.

The screws 10 may be so set as to press laterally against one side of the slots 9, to cause sufiicient friction to retard the fixtures when swinging outwardly so that they will not move outwardly by gravity alone, but will have to be pulled outwardly by the cords 16.

I claim 1. A window shade fixture comprising a pivotally supported arm having means for carrying one end of a shade roller, said arm having an elongated aperture, a screw passing through said aperture to direct the path of movement of the arm and prevent lateral movement thereof, said screw having a head to adjustably limit the outward swing of the arm, and means for actuating said arm.

2. A window shade fixture comprising a pivotally supported arm having means for carrying one end of a shade roller, said arm having a curved ear projecting outwardly and downwardly below the pivotal point of the arm, said ear having means for supporting one end of a guide rod, and means for swinging said arm on its pivot.

3. The combination with a window shade fixture comprising a pivotally supported arm having means for carrying one end of a shade roller, two cords connected to said arm, a guide for one of said cords, whereby that cord may be utilized to swing the arm inwardly and a guide for the other cord which is utilized for swinging the arm outwardly, the last mentioned guide being located at a distance outwardly from the window casing whereby said cord is deflected to enable a downward pull upon the lower portion of the cord to effect an outward movement of the arm.

4.. A window shade fixture comprising an arm 1 and a bracket 2 to which said arm is pivotally connected, said arm having a shade-supporting ear at its upper end, and a guide rod supporting ear projecting from its lower portion to a point below the piv- In testimony whereof I have afiixed my otal connection with the bracket 2, the lower signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ear having an aperture for a guide rod, the HARRY E. GIFFORD. said arm 1 having also an aperture for a Witnesses:

guiding screw and having also apertures A. W. HARRISON,

for actuating cords. P. W. PEZZETTI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

